Canning Book: Put ‘Em Up (+ giveaway!)

One of the things I love most about the fact that canning and home food preservation is gaining popularity is how it’s meant an increase in beautifully designed, thoughtfully written and downright inspirational books on the subject.

Take, for instances, Put ‘em Up!, a new release by Sherri Brooks Vinton. The book bills itself as “A Comprehensive Home Preservation Guide” and covers not only canning, but also drying and freezing. And truly, after spending several days paging through this hefty number, I think she’s managed to cover just about everything you’d want to know on the subject.

I’m particularly smitten with the line drawings they’ve used in place of illustrative photographs. Though I like a pretty food image as much as the next girl, I could see how they could be distracting when your primary goal is to convey deeply useful information in a crisp and intelligible manner.

This isn’t to say that there aren’t any photos in the book. You’ll find pages like this at the front of each section, each featuring a number of quirky and colorful examples of what you could make, should you choose to pick up a copy.

Don’t you just love this two-page spread on how to make fermented pickles! It’s just so helpful! As you can tell, I have something of a crush on this book. Call it my canning companion of the moment.

If you’re thinking that you’d like to make a copy of this book yours, leave a comment on this post. Tell me about your favorite pickle and do it before Tuesday, July 20th at 11:59 p.m. (I’ll be closing the comments at that time). I have two copies of this book to give away (provided by the publisher), so your chances to win are even greater than normal (and, if you don’t win, I’d still recommend picking up a copy. It’s less than $14 on Amazon).

560 Responses to Canning Book: Put ‘Em Up (+ giveaway!)

Well currently I have been taking the Hot N Spicy Tabasco pickles, (48 oz), throwing away the vinegar, cutting up the whole pickles, add 2 cups (or so) of sugar, and you have the MOST amazing easy quick tasty sweet-savory pickles!

’tis the season to pickle peaches! when i was a kid, my parents and i came upon a windfall (literally) of peaches in an abandoned orchard. we studded them with cloves and put them up in a sweet vinegar brine, and man oh man were they good that winter.

My (current) FAVORITE pickle is Sun Pickles found at Food.com. I learned how to make them last year. They are cold packed in a dill brine, then set in the sun. They got rave reviews, and the recipe is an old-country classic.

I never did like pickles, except pickled onions, but I really want to learn to! I’m not sure if it’s the cucumbers (don’t like them in most contexts) or the pickling, but this distaste is limiting my canning and I cannot let that stand. There’s a recipe for pickled cherries (from a can jam) over at leenaeats.com that’ll sure make a girl want to like them.

this book looks beautiful AND useful, can’t wait to take a look. my favourite pickles are the ones made by my grandmother. my grandfather is the gardener… he grows the crunchiest, most delicious lebanese cucumbers which my grandmother then lovingly pickles (of the dill variety).

As lame as it is, my favorite pickle is the Claussen kosher dill spear. I’ve been searching for two years now to find just the right replacement recipe — and I’m still looking! I need that crispy crunch and perfect flavor!

I love all these fun summer giveaways – and I’m glad my fun summer get-away didn’t mean missing the deadline!
I love all things dill pickle…I don’t love sweet or bread and butter pickles, or at least, I’ve yet to find the right one.
last night I was just telling a friend about how reading this blog makes me want to make dilly beans.

I love the sweet pickles my grandmother brings to every Christmas or Thanksgiving get together. I wish I could tell you more about what kind they are, but sadly I am a novice at canning and hope this book can help!

My friend Kris turned me on to her grandmother Palmina’s refrigerator pickles. I can make them myself so I guess they’re my favorite. But I also like the pickled cabbage you get in Vietnamese and Thai restaurants. Sweet and savory.